Riyadh Air

Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s second national carrier, based in Riyadh and owned by the Public Investment Fund.

Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s second national carrier, based in Riyadh and wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund. Established in 2023, it is a full-service airline aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on expanding international connectivity from the capital. The airline began commercial operations on 26 October 2025 with a Riyadh–London Heathrow service.

History

Riyadh Air was announced in March 2023 as a new Saudi national carrier backed by the Public Investment Fund. It later received regulatory approval and began service in October 2025.

Operations

The airline is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and uses King Khalid International Airport as its main hub. Publicly stated plans describe it as a full-service carrier focused on domestic and international scheduled flights.

Fleet and expansion

Riyadh Air has placed orders for Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft, as well as Airbus A321neo and A350-1000 aircraft. Its network strategy is to build a large international route map from Saudi Arabia, with plans to serve more than 100 destinations across six continents by 2030.

Role in Saudi aviation

The carrier is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader effort to expand tourism and aviation capacity under Vision 2030. It is intended to complement the existing flag carrier Saudia and strengthen Riyadh’s role as a global hub.